THE PORTUGUESE GUITAR AND FADO: A SONG OF LONGING AND NOSTALGIA

Abstract

There are several theories defended by Portuguese musicologists and academics who are concerned with determining the origins of the Portuguese guitar and fado, as an urban musical genre, in order to understand the lineage of this instrument and  place it within the sociocultural perspective of different periods. The Portuguese guitar is believed to be marked by unique characteristics in terms of timbre, capable of evoking stories and singing of longing and nostalgia. Fado, on the other hand, is closely linked to the people, narrating everyday events, usually sad and painful in nature, or bohemian and fado singers, assuming itself as a cultural manifestation rooted in the socio-economic context. The association between the Portuguese guitar and fado, in this sense, seems to occur naturally, bindingly and dialectically, insofar as both respond in unison to the same longing. This article focuses on these aspects, but does not provide answers, given the difficulty of the subject matter, but reflects on the past believing  in the future.